Micro Seiki Turntable/ Find

Polkersince85
Polkersince85 Posts: 2,883
edited October 2007 in Electronics
I stopped by my local Thrift Store this afternoon and walked by a donation truck they were unloading. Looked in the big plastic hopper of stuff and my heart skipped a beat. There lay a Micro Seiki BL-91L table on top of the heap.

I asked the guy unloading if he could get someone to price it for me. He pointed to a guy inside the door, I called him over and asked him to price it. He said it doesn't work how about 4 dollars. I agreed:D. (no belt dude!)

I came home with a 60 lb turntable.

Model BL-91L, Max 282 tonearm, Sonus cartridge/stylus, 3/8" thick plexiglass cover , motor and controls work fine, missing belt and one isolator foot.

I think I got a project to work on.:cool:
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  • Dennis Gardner
    Dennis Gardner Posts: 4,861
    edited October 2007
    Nice find...........I hope you get it up and going, as they made some really nice gear.
    HT Optoma HD25 LV on 80" DIY Screen, Anthem MRX 300 Receiver, Pioneer Elite BDP 51FD Polk CS350LS, Polk SDA1C, Polk FX300, Polk RT55, Dual EBS Adire Shiva 320watt tuned to 17hz, ICs-DIY Twisted Prs, Speaker-Raymond Cable

    2 Channel Thorens TD 318 Grado ZF1, SACD/CD Marantz 8260, Soundstream/Krell DAC1, Audio Mirror PP1, Odyssey Stratos, ADS L-1290, ICs-DIY Twisted , Speaker-Raymond Cable
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  • Polkersince85
    Polkersince85 Posts: 2,883
    edited October 2007
    I think it can be revived. I'll make it a winter project to clean/oil it and fire it up. I see nothing that will prevent it from living again. I hid out for a couple of hours just in case they figured out how much that thing was worth.
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  • BottomFeeder
    BottomFeeder Posts: 1,684
    edited October 2007
    Wow!

    Talk about being in the right place at the right time!!!

    Nice score!
    "Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then." Bob Seger
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,600
    edited October 2007
    Nice find.:cool: Thief!:D IIRC the MAX 282 used a torsion bar for VTF instead of a spring like in their earlier arms. I had a MA-505 MK III in a dual arm config on my Space Deck. Micro Seiki, very impressive engineering that has stood the test of time. Their gear still fetches high dollars.
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
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  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 7,149
    edited October 2007
    Outstanding! That is simply an incredible find for that price. Micro's were extremely well engineered. I wouldn't be surprised if that table would hit over $800 on Ebay.

    Take your time and fix'er up right. You'll have one fine system afterward.

    Uhh, maybe I was low on the Ebay price...
    Look at this:
    http://www.goodsoundclub.com/Commerce/SaleListing.aspx?Cat=Analog
    $2k for the tonearm alone?
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  • Polkersince85
    Polkersince85 Posts: 2,883
    edited October 2007
    SCompRacer wrote: »
    Their gear still fetches high dollars.

    Depends on where you buy it:D

    I'm thinking a new belt and a book under the corner and it's good to go.:eek:
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited October 2007
    good GOD! not that you found an awesome TT for $4, but 60 freaking pounds of table? Dang!!!! :eek::eek::eek::p
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • Polkersince85
    Polkersince85 Posts: 2,883
    edited October 2007
    billbillw wrote: »
    $2k for the tonearm alone?

    Wow, I may have to set this one on the top shelf.
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  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 7,149
    edited October 2007
    danger boy wrote: »
    good GOD! not that you found an awesome TT for $4, but 60 freaking pounds of table? Dang!!!! :eek::eek::eek::p

    My VPI weighs in close to 50lbs. There are some top end tables that push 100 lbs.
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  • wingnut4772
    wingnut4772 Posts: 7,519
    edited October 2007
    I'll give you $5.00 for it.:p
    Sharp Elite 70
    Anthem D2V 3D
    Parasound 5250
    Parasound HCA 1000 A
    Parasound HCA 1000
    Oppo BDP 95
    Von Schweikert VR4 Jr R/L Fronts
    Von Schweikert LCR 4 Center
    Totem Mask Surrounds X4
    Hsu ULS-15 Quad Drive Subwoofers
    Sony PS3
    Squeezebox Touch

    Polk Atrium 7s on the patio just to keep my foot in the door.
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  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 7,149
    edited October 2007
    Polkersince85 wrote: »
    Wow, I may have to set this one on the top shelf.

    I checked HiFido (in Japan) and that tonearm seems to regularly sell over there for 100,000 yen, which is approx $900. You should feel guilty that you took profits from that Thrift store! ;)

    You might just have a $1500 setup there if everything works out. Replacing that foot is going to take patience and quite a few dollars though. At one point, for a period of 6 months or so, I was watching Ebay for all Micro Seiki stuff. I saw a few of those feet come up for auction, but they went for high dollar (maybe $100+ for a set?)
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  • Polkersince85
    Polkersince85 Posts: 2,883
    edited October 2007
    I need to at least double my money.
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited October 2007
    billbillw wrote: »
    Replacing that foot is going to take patience and quite a few dollars though. At one point, for a period of 6 months or so, I was watching Ebay for all Micro Seiki stuff. I saw a few of those feet come up for auction, but they went for high dollar (maybe $100+ for a set?)

    Umm. with all the money he just saved.. i think $100 for feet is reasonable don't cha think? ;)
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • Polkersince85
    Polkersince85 Posts: 2,883
    edited October 2007
    I will keep my eyes open for a foot, make another one at work if I have to.
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,600
    edited October 2007
    Polkersince85 wrote: »
    Depends on where you buy it:D

    I'm thinking a new belt and a book under the corner and it's good to go.:eek:


    squareheadtubes on ebay usually has Micro Seiki parts listed. Wouldn't hurt to check. There was a fellow at the Vinyl Asylum that sold Micro Seiki parts long ago but the listed email no longer works.

    I picked up a 10/10 NOS Micro Seiki arm that had a broken damper paddle. I could not find a replacement available anywhere. A friend who collects and repairs old watches came to my rescue with a just the right length .058 screw, so I drilled and tapped it to make the repair. I got over $1K for that arm on ebay.
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,600
    edited October 2007
    One without arm board.

    http://cgi.ebay.com/MICRO-SEIKI-BL-91L-AUDIOPHILE-TURNTABLE-RECORD-PLAYER_W0QQitemZ330173028075QQihZ014QQcategoryZ3283QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

    One that fetched a few bucks.

    http://cgi.ebay.com/Micro-Seiki-BL-91-Turntable-MA-505-Tonearm-Adcom-MC_W0QQitemZ170147402773QQihZ007QQcmdZViewItem
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
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  • Polkersince85
    Polkersince85 Posts: 2,883
    edited October 2007
    SCompRacer wrote: »
    One that fetched a few bucks.

    http://cgi.ebay.com/Micro-Seiki-BL-91-Turntable-MA-505-Tonearm-Adcom-MC_W0QQitemZ170147402773QQihZ007QQcmdZViewItem

    Nice price for that one. I may have to throw a little more in the "Kettle" this year.
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited October 2007
    This reminds me of the Acoustic Research 9LS's I saw at a thrift store not too long ago. Since they're over 100lbs I couldn't take them by myself(bad back). Swing by the next day to have them put on hold and they were already thrown in the dumpster, doh!

    Congrats on your find!
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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